11 Dec Q&A with Gary Inman of Baskervill
About the Designer
Gary Inman is an internationally recognized, award-winning interior designer, author, and public speaker. His work has been published in The Washington Post, Traditional Home, Verandah, Elle Décor, House Beautiful, Hotel Design, Boutique Design and many others. He is Vice President of Hospitality with Baskervill, an International Hospitality Giant, serving four-star and five-star luxury hotels and resorts for 122 years. Baskervill is currently working in 44 states and 5 countries from their offices in Richmond, Washington DC, and Orlando, Florida.
Gary’s design métier has included handbags, women’s evening wear, fabrics, lighting, rugs, glass and furniture including his acclaimed collections for Moore Councill and Jonathan Charles. Gary is a High Point Market Style Spotter and is internationally recognized as a Trend Expert. He is editor of The Art of Fine Living, and is a popular guest on TV programs such as Design Tourist, the Design Network, Editor-at-Large, A&E’s America’s Castles, PBS’s Monument and Mansions, and on numerous podcasts. He is a board member the Bienenstock Furniture Library, a member of the jury for the prestigious Pinnacle Awards, and sits on the Advisory Board for High Point University.
About the Company
Grounded in the belief that great design is the result of asking the right questions and truly listening to the answers, Baskervill is a multi-disciplinary design firm serving clients from hospitality and healthcare to education, workspace, mixed-use, manufacturing & logistics, and beyond. Founded in 1897, today Baskervill is one of the nation’s oldest continually operating architectural firms — while a sense of history grounds us, it’s the idea that design can solve the challenges of the future that keeps us inspired.
Where did you get your start in the design industry?
“When I was just 4 my mother took me to the R.J. Reynolds Building, an Art Deco masterpiece by the same architects that would later design the Empire State Building. The moment I touched the glorious Art Deco doors and uttered my first design critique, “Mommy Beautiful” my journey was set. By age 10 I requested a budget to redecorate my room and I never really looked back. My first professional design position was on 7th Avenue in New York City. I was part of a team creating luxury evening wear, often collaborating with iconic designers on their collections. Fashion has continued to be a foundation for my work as an interior designer.”
It seems like you are speaking on a panel about design every other week. Is there something you try to convey when speaking on these panels?
“Yes, all the panels I moderate or sit on are focused on my core mission to enlighten and encourage designers to preserve and celebrate our shared design legacy and to improve design literacy. For the past four years I have served on the board of the Bienenstock Furniture Library which houses the largest collection of books on furniture and interior design in the U.S., many of them rare, spanning 6 centuries. It is the greatest meeting of “Design Influencers” one can possibly image.
My other deeply held design philosophy is that storytelling is the best intellectual foundation for great design. Design should elicit an emotional response in the viewer and this can only happen when there is a narrative that connects the entire composition from the setting, to structure, and down to the smallest of details. For me there is ‘Magic In The Mix” and the very best designers understand this. The mix of periods, finishes, colors, scales, and craft techniques can result in spaces that truly define time and have a lasting impact on our field.”
How would you describe your design style?
“My style is always based on a story. It can be the story of a family, a place, or even an enduring brand, but there is a carefully written design narrative that creates a gracious flow and comfort for the spaces. I love both traditional and modern and freely mix the two with generous flourishes of antiques, artisan made objects, art commissions, and treasured family heirlooms. My signature style is not a particular look, but rather the art of creating a perfect reflection of my client’s dreams and aspirations. I know I’ve succeeded when they tell me, often with tears in their eyes, this is the home we’ve always dreamed of. For hotels, I love it when they confide that I’ve truly grasped their story and that guests love being in the spaces I’ve created.”
Can you tell us about one project you are extremely proud of?
“I had the absolute joy of creating a large country estate recently and I believe it is perhaps my greatest design to date. We worked with extraordinary artisans and I was able to travel to Venice, Florence, Paris, New York and High Point to find the perfect antiques, art, rugs, lighting….. My clients gave me absolute trust and invested in the very best materials. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing the house published in a number of well-respected magazines. The real joy is seeing how elated my clients are to live their lives in a space that was a true labor of love for me. I yearn to do another project of this type somewhere in the world.”
If you weren’t designing, what would you be doing?
“I sometimes fantasize I’m playing in a piano bar onboard a ship visiting exotic locations. Travel is another intense passion.”
What is something people might not know about you that’s not design related?
“I minored in dance at UNCG while studying design. I also learned to play the piano by ear as a child. Music remains an central part of my life.”
Are there any design trends you are starting to see that could alter the industry?
“I’m seeing a revival of great taste on the residential side. Pretty is definitely back with beautiful fabrications, couture details, bold colors and patterns, and the magical mix I love so much. Comfort is definitely preferred over staged formality.
The hotel side is a bit more complicated as there are so many brands within the brands, but all share the common thread of celebrating local culture and aesthetics, more personalization, and multiple gathering spaces both indoors and outdoors. I love the trend towards hotels that feel more like homes. Firmdale Hotels does a brilliant job with this approach and their Whitby Hotel in Manhattan is a bright moment in my opinion.”
Check out Baskervill’s textile design for the Lebatex, Inc. 20th Anniversary Designer Collection!
For more information, visit www.baskervill.com or check them out on instagram.
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